Scoring unit for bag-filling machines



Jan. 28, 1941. A. s. CHANDLER SCORING UNIT FOR BAG-FILLING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Shae; l

INVENTOR:

Mair/4v J (2/4/1404 A TTORNEY Jan. 28, 1941. CHANDLER 2,230,026

SCORING UNIT FOR BAG-FILLING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1958 -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHHH H!!! 7 72/5 v I ATTORNS.

Jan. 28, 1941. A. s. CHANDLER SCORING UNIT FOR BAG-FILLING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4, 1958 Hlllllllllllll II INVENTOR: A5: C Band Der,

I ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuem f/o'o. A.S. Chandlei;

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Jan. 28, 1941.

A. S. CHANDLER SCORING UNIT FOR BAG-FILLING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1938 Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES SCORING UNIT FOR BAG-FILLING MACHINES Austin S. Chandler, Fitchburg, Mesa, assignor to The Brown Bag Filling Machine Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 4, 1938, Serial No. 199,949

12 Claims.

The invention has for an object to effect improvement in a creaser useful in bag-filling machines and for closing envelopes and particularly designed in its present embodiment for use in the 5 turret type bag filling machine illustrated in my application, Serial No. 103,487, filed October 30,

1936 (Patent No. 2,173,409, Sept. 19, 1939). It

is intended as a continuation of the matter of claims 28, 29, 30, and Figures 16, 17 and 10 of that application.

This invention includes means which may be mounted on the arm or lever 210 shown in my prior said application, the operating means for the new details being those below shown, although the cam Hit may be reshaped, if desired. My present invention operates by the same movement of the arm 2H] provided for in the said prior construction.

It is an object of this invention to present a creaser and closer which will be very lasting in use, being all metal, and having parts liable in a minimum degree to wear or disturbance of adjustment or operative relation, and which will be highly efiicient in function. M

It is a special aim of the invention to enable the creasing (sometimes called scoring) of a paper bag or envelope in such manner that there will be a minimum of weakening of the paper at the line of creasing, and yet with an ample certainty that will make it highly eiiective.

It is an aim of the invention to present a paired roller creasing device which will operate with a minimum number of parts, and especially that will involve a minimum of operative connections in order to move a pair of rollers into engagement with, over and down upon a creaser blade with interposed envelope end.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will be understood from the following description and accompanying'drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the anvil and rolls in disengaged relation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side View of the roll mounting and anvil, in initial or retracted position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the parts in initial engagement.

Figure 4 is a similar showing of a further stage of forward movement of the parts.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing completion 5 of the movement of the parts to the extreme forward or engaged position.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the complete creasing unit.

Figure 7 is a side elevation thereof partly in section and showing in section parts of the bag filling machine to which it is specially adapted, the lever being in forward or scoring position.

Figure 8 is a detail of the cam of my prior application referred to.

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the cam adapted to the device of Figures 1 to 7.

Figure 10 is a detail of the closer and scorer of my said prior application.

Figure 11 is a vertical fore-and-aft section of a complete machine embodying my invention.

Figure 12 is a top view thereof with parts removed and part in section.

Figure 13 is a horizontal section below the table 41.

Figure 14 is a vertical transverse section of the index device.

There is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 a portion of the table 41 of my prior application, with the main cam Hit and wiper 2H5 which engages the same to operate through the slide 2l3 and link 214 the upstanding score lever or arm 2") pivoted on the table to swing inward and outward toward and away from the stationary top plate 5! of the machine where a score blade 2% is mounted in the same position as the part 206 in my prior application, although of different form. The spider iii! of a rotating conveyor movable step-by-step carries a number of circumferentially spaced grippers Iii, one of which is shown in Figure 7; or may comprise the device 95 of my prior application, as in Figure 10. The gripper is shown holding a bag II as the same is brought to operative position at the scoring or creasing station.

The invention is particularly adapted to use in the creasing or closing of fiat-folded bags, of the kind most used in filling machines of the character represented, but may be employed in various ways and for various other articles requiring for any reason treatment of the nature herein disclosed.

At the scoring station the scoring blade 2% is mounted fixedly on the plate 51, having a planiform vertical outer face l2 so located as to receive the upper part of the bag i l thereagainst as the conveyor advances, and having a rectilinear upwardly projected blade or knife edge 13, in the present instance extending about onequarter inch above the fiat body of the blade, which extends inwardly over and is removably attached to a bed piece M permanently secured to the plate 5|. This disposes the blade at the desired height for proper engagement with the bag in relation to folding, gumming and other mechanisms involved in such a machine. The edge i3 is close to a vertical radius of the pivot of the arm 2H1". The machine may include the cylindrical plate ill of my prior application, as in Figures 10 and 11 above the conveyor beside and inward of the bags thereon against which the bags may rest as they are advanced by the conveyor; or a single vertical stationary plate l may be provided located only at the scoring station, and extending downwardly from and flush with the face l2 of the blade, stopping short of the conveyor at its lower part so as to permit raising of the conveyor to a height accommodated to small bags to be filled, and when taller bags are to be filled and the conveyor lowered to enable proper working of the tops thereof in the machine, an increased space is left below the plate It. If desired, the plate I5 may be mounted on the spider 98 as in my prior application.

The lever 2H1 in the present instance is bowed outwardly to afford a good clearance beside the conveyor, making access to the parts inwardly of the arm more ready, and lessening liability of injury to persons by engagement of the hands between the arm and the grippers of the conveyor.

The arm Zlil' is formed with a planed upper end 224 substantially horizontal when the arm is at forward or inner position, and a channel It is formed in this end coincident with the plane of oscillation of the arm. In this channel there is engaged a rib on the correspondingly formed lower side of a bracket piece ll, which is formed with an elongated slot centrally over the channel through which slot there isengaged a clamp screw lit by which the bracket is held adjustably on the lever.

The bracket is formed with a forwardly and upwardly extended portion, forwardlyextending flanges or ears l9 being formed integrally therewith, through which is revolubly mounted a shaft 29 retained by collars 2| fixed on its ends beside the flanges. This shaft is formed with a flat between the flanges to which is secured one extremity of a U-shaped leaf spring 22 extending downwardly from the shaft and recurved upwardly, a light-weight broad presser plate 23 being secured to the upturned extremity adapted to press against the upper body portion of a bag carried by the conveyor and tending to diverge from the outer end portion of the spring sufficiently to properly shape an engaged bag.

The upper end of the bracket I1 is formed with a transverse piece 24, L-shaped in cross section, in the angle of which there is set the bight portion of a substantially U-shaped roller-carrying yoke 25, consisting of a rectilinear bar having end portions bent forwardly at right angles forming parallel arms between which a roll bearing member 23 is pivoted. The yoke is held in the angle piece M by suitable screws 2?. The roll bearing consists of a broad bar having short end portions bent at right angles to its body portion forming bearing ears 28 each having two bearing openings therethrough spaced equally from the medial plane of the bearing member and receiving therein shafts of two rolls 29 of hardened metal revoluble in the bearing piece and nearly or quite in mutual contact. Each of the ears 28 is provided with a respective trunnion 30, the two being on an axis coincident with the common plane of the roll axes. These trunnions are pivoted in the arms of the yoke 25, so that the bearing piece with the two rolls may rotate as a unit in the yoke 25, within proper limits. The bearing member is provided with a projection or pin 3| at one end arranged to engage the yoke 25 to limit its rocking movement counter clockwise so that the ears 2% project forwardly substantially in alinement with the arms of the yoke 25, the rolls at this time being in a plane which will be vertical as the arm 210 swings forwardly and brings the lower roll next to the face 12 of the scoring blade. A projection 32 is formed at the normally upper side of the roll bearing piece to which is connected a contractile spring 33 anchored to a post 34 set in the outer end of the bracket IT. This spring draws the roll unit to a position as shown in Figures 2 and 3, where it is stopped by engagement of the pin 3i against the upper side of the arm of the yoke 25.

It should be noted that the radius of the lever 2H) and mounting of the rolls 29 thereon is such that as the lever swings inward and forward toward the blade 295', the axis of the trunnions moves in an arc which extends a distance above the top or working edge of the knife edge 13. This distance may be varied in accordance with the thickness of the paper of the bag although some variation from the ideal does not materially affect the effect of the rolls in operation. For envelopes of 28 pound manila stock, the spacing is approximately as shown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, which are full size showings of the machine as heretofore constructed. The axis of the lower roll 29 is below the top of the knife edge iii a distance when operating.

In operation, bags are filled and brought by the conveyor and gripper to a position before the plate l5 and blade 206, where it is stopped and held stationary for a time due to the step-by-step action of the conveyor. At this time the bag ll tends to rest lightly against the plate I5 and blade 2&6, and the contents received from filling devices at preceding stages in the operation of the machine have settled intothe extreme lower part of the bag, spreading the bag more than is desirable, the level of the stock in the bag being much lower than desired in the completed package and the top of the contents being nearly level and occupying a cross sectional area of the bag much greater than permissible in the finished package. In the preparation of the bag in this condition for sealing, it is necessary to press the front and back walls together at the upper part of the bag, form a crease therein, gum. the flap and fold the part above the crease downward against the side of the bag so that the gum will then hold it, effecting a seal. The pressing of the two walls together is termed closing the bag, and the term in this use is distinct from the common use of the same word, which would include the completion of all operations necessary to seal the bag. In this closing of the bag as referred to, if the two walls are merely pressed together at the place where the crease is to be made, they form objectionable wrinkles because the content still holds them spaced excessively at the middle, and if the crease is then made and the bag sealed, it tends to bulge more than necessary to accommodate its contents, because the middle portion of the walls would be drawn downward slightly, so that there would be more material between the crease and the bottom of the bag at the middle vertical line than at the vertical edges.

It is therefore my practice to close or form the package before creasing, and in this present machine the forming and creasing are both done by the single unit. This forming involves applying pressure to the bag at opposite sides so as to compress the contents and force the contents to rise higher in the bag, and at the same time press the upper parts of the walls inward and together symmetrically at the top, and form the crease while these pressures are maintained. After creasing, the package holds its form until gummed and sealed. As a consequence the packages formed in my machine tend to lie quite flat due to being so held when the crease is formed.

When the conveyor stops, the top of the bag extends some distance above the knife edge, and in my machine, for the purpose of greater security in sealing packages of powder and fine granular material, the back wall 35 of the bag also extends about a quarter of an inch above the knife edge. The back wall is located next to the blade 2%. The lever Ziil is operated immediately after the conveyor stops with the bag in position before the blade 206.

In the initial or open position of the lever 2 Ill and creaser, the spring 22 supports the plate 23 spaced sufficiently from the plate I5 to receive the bag freely between the two plates, but less than the distance which the upper end of the lever moves inwardly, and the plate 23 is inclined inward as in Figure 7 when fully engaged. In consequence, as the arm moves forward, the plate 23 is pressed. against the upper part of the bag and its contents, the lower edge of the plate 23 extending also over a part of the lower part of the bag. The upper part of the plate 23 being stopped by the plate l5, its lower part presses the lower part of the bag to a flatter form, causing the contents to rise, and the bag is thus brought to a good form before, or about when, the lower roll 29 engages and presses the bag against the face of the blade 2%. Such engagement of the lower roll occurs as in Figure 3, and by reason of the leverage developed by application of the tension of the spring 33 to the projection 32, the roll holds the two walls of the bag very tightly clamped against the blade 2% while the lever 2H3 continues movement. This continued movement causes the lower roll 29 to be pressed backward relatively on the mounting, the bearing 26 pivoting on its trunnion so that the upper roll 29 is forced forwardly over the knife edge and downwardly, bearing against and bending the top of the bag over the knife edge l3 somewhat as in Figure 4, and finally being pressed downward and inwardly of the knife edge so as to clamp the paper of the bag tightly between the two rolls and against the knife edge. It is an advantage of this movement of the parts that the upper roll may rotate slightly as it engages the confined paper of the bag at the closer parts of the rolls, and instead of pressing the paper too severely against the sharp edge of the blade as might occur by pressure of a non-rotative member, the roll tends to and actually does, roll upon the interposed clamped paper the two rolls mutually compressing and creasing it above the knife edge rather than depending entirely on the knife edge to force it into shape.

When the lever 21!! begins its backward or outward movement, relief of pressure between the lower roll 29 and the blade 206, allows the inner roll to rise and the spring 33 to draw upward the roll which is now at the inner side of the knife edge, until it finally clears the knife edge without striking it or compressing the bag thereagainst in its return. After the lever 2H1" has returned to initial position, a step action of the conveyor moves the formed and creased bag to the next station of the machine for further working to effect a sealing of the package, and brings a newly filled bag to position before the blade In my said prior application the arm m was a straight arm with the same mounting, radius,

and operative connections as the lever 2H1 here disclosed, but is preferably bowed as herein.

As shown in Figure 10 herein and Figures l6l7 of the prior application, a guide rail 205 was included to hold the top of the bag in its proper path, but it may be omitted if desired. At the closer station an anvil piece 201 is mounted on the plate 5|, on which the creaser blade 206 is in turn secured, projecting so as to engage and crease a bag, as will appear. A hinge bracket 209 is formed on the table 41 including ears between which the arm or lever 2H1 is pivoted. A contractile spring H2 is connected to the heel portion of the lever 2 l 0 and to a suitable anchorage so as to yieldingly draw the upper part of the lever backward and outward. The lever is moved oppositely by means of a slide 2l3 connected by link 2M to the downward projection 2l5 of the lever, the slide having a wiper 2H5 on its lower side held by the spring 2 i2 against the edge cam portion I98 of the main cam N16.

The cam I06 of my prior application as shown in Figure 8 herein is formed with a peripheral high portion "18 having an undulated surface, so that the arm 210 was moved inward a distance and then without clearing movement causes to oscillate a number of times so that the bag would be worked upon by the presser plate a number of times to better distribute the content, as will appear.

The upper end of the lever 2H3 is formed with a bracket plate 224, at right angles to the lever, channelled on the radius of the station, and secured thereon by a bolt 225 adjustably is the ribbed foot piece 226 of a cross head 2l9, parallel to the anvil and blade 2%. This cross head is formed with a deep horizontal channel throughout its length at the inner side, in which there is set a soft rubber or other suitable block or cushion 220, projecting from the channel toward the blade 206 to receive the latter therein when the lever 2H) operates.

In this earlier application there was provided on the arm 210' a spring and presser plate which may be used on the apparatus of Figures 1 to '7 if desired. This is a thin leaf spring 22 I, having one end fixed on the upper part of the foot piece 226, projecting downwardly and broadened and adapted to engage the outer side of a filled bag on the carrier at the station when the lever is moved inward, the lower part of the spring serving as a presser plate 222. The base 223 of the spring is projected inwardly from the point of attachment to the foot piece abruptly and at a suitable distance from its point of attachment bent downward at a line so located that it will be above the material in the bag, or above the major part of such material. When the spring engages a filled bag at the station, the base or upper portion is pressed inward while the lower part of the spring yields, thus effecting a working of the content of the bag incident to the several compressive movements caused by the undulations in the cam portion I08, to distribute the material for better shaping of the package. The plate portion 222 may be variously shaped as desired for its functions.

When the lever 2M swings inward, it presses the interposed upper end portion of the bag against the sharp front edge of the blade 206, forming a score or crease at the line where the fold is to occur when the bag is sealed. By reason of the adjustment of the carrier to hold the throat of the bag above the blade, both walls of the bag are creased and become folded down in the subsequent folding operation. The spring plate 222 is held yieldingly in an initial position with its extremity spaced from the path of the bag when the lever 2H1 is restricted to its outer limit of movement.

The rise of the cam E08 may engage the wiper 2I6 shortly before completion of the index movement, if desired, and may have a high part of considerable length and concentric with the shaft 86, or may be undulated as in Figures 8 and 13 over this high part, to produce a repeated working action by the spring 22I against the bag, by which the charge therein will be caused to settle in the lower corners and to the sides of the bag, and a better forming of the package attained. The high face of the cam may terminate at the wiper 2H5 any time before, or about the time the succeeding index action begins.

For causing the repeated working action of the plate 23 of this application by utilizing the principle of operation by the cam shown in my prior application including the undulations I08 described in that application, the cam may be formed as indicated in Figure 9 herein. The undulations are here formed with high parts initially operative which are of less than the maximum altitude of the cam, and a single terminal high part I03 of maximum altitude. The initial high parts do not cause the lower roll 2!! to engage the blade 206', so that the plate 23 will engage the bag, and the spring will be repeatedly conipressed thereagainst without withdrawing the plate from contact with the bag, working the stock into good form with the bag before the top of the bag is clamped by the lower roll 29, after which the rolls will be pressed further inward and caused to function with the blade as described.

The plate I5 as shown in Figures 1 to 9, is carried by bracket plates 15' attached to the under side of the blade 2%, which projects a distance on each side of the bed piece Hi. These brackets are resilient, so that when the bag is being formed, the lower part of the plate I5 may yield slightly to the bag and content as the presser plate 23 works upon the package. The edge portion of the plate If; at the approach side may be curved inwardly so as to readily receive the bag Without liability of interference.

The means in my prior application for effecting the stepby-step movement of the conveyor, for presenting the bags and filling and depositing them on the conveyor, and for operating the scoring mechanism included a power drive device 5551 on a horizontal shaft 58 at the bottom of the machine, operated from a motor 54. The shaft 58, through the gear box 59 synchronously operates a counter shaft 16 thereover and also the main vertical shaft 8d of the machine on which the cam M5 is fixed below the table 41. This cam, in addition to the peripheral portions I03 and I68 above described, has in its upper face a cam groove I07, and at the left side of the machine at the front there is pivoted for horizontal motion closely over the cam, a lever I09, carrying the wiper H intermediately of its length, and set in the groove IIJ'I which is shaped so that the lever will be oscillated as required by rotation of the cam.

The conveyor frame has a series of depending index pins 88 fixed thereon projecting into a channel 89 formed in the upper side of the table 41 concentric with the shaft 80 and freely movable in the channel. In a suitable guide mounting on the under side of the table 4'! a reciprocating bar II 2 is mounted, this bar having a depending pin II3 engaged in a slot III extending longitudinally in the end of the lever I09, so that oscillation of the lever will reciprocate the bar. The bar is provided with a spring-pressed latch bar I14 normally tending to swing across the path of the pins 88, but stopped with its end in this path. Consequently on movement of the bar II2 forwardly, the end of the latch bar II4 will press against one pin S8 and rotate the conveyor until the movement of the bar in that direction ceases, and on return movement of the bar the latch bar will be engaged by the next following pin 88 and will yield thereto until its end clears such pin, when it will again move into the path of the pins ready to repeat the step operation of the conveyor on the next forward movement of the bar.

At the same time that the conveyor is operated, the bar also operates a bag presenting device I25, the bar II 2 being extended forwardly beyond the pin H3 and provided with strike blocks Hit-43'! on its under side arranged to engage a strike pin I35 on one end of a lever I34 of the first order pivoted on the under side of the table 47 and connected at its other end by a link I33 to a pivot pin I32 on the bag presenting device I25. It will be seen that this arrangement will cause the bag presenting device to be moved inward as the index movement of the conveyor terminates and after an interval the bag presenting device is moved backward again, which releases the previously opened and filled bag to drop to the carrier Ii] or 95 of the conveyor as the case may be.

A number of bag working units are located at respective stations, B, D, E, around the conveyor path in a succession beyond the filling station A, (a station C not being utilized in the present instance), all spaced according to the stage movements of the conveyor. These have suitable operating means to work the bags for various purposes as described in my prior application but not forming novel details of the present invention. Finally a delivery station is located at F, from which filled bags are removed by means 300 forming subject matter of a separate application. A station G beyond is also not used.

On the outer end of the shaft It there is fixed a disc cam. I41, having the cam groove I48 therein in which is engaged a wiper I 39 set intermediately of the length of a lever I45 of the third order having its fulcrum pivot at its rear end on a bracket I456 projected downward from a frame element 43 of the machine. This lever extends forwardly and at its forward end is linked to a vertical reciprocating rod I iI mounted on the table 47. This rod has fixed on its upper end a cross arm Ml! stopping midway of the front side of the machine and having thereon a bag opener $38, adapted to enter the first bag in the device I25 when the opener I38 descends, and coordinated with the tunnel I94 to guide into such bag a charge of material discharged into the tunnel by a measure I82, operative in receiving relation to the hopper II mounted at the top of the machine. The measure is reciprocated from beneath a bottom opening of the hopper to a position in the tunnel which permits the received material to drop to the bag, as is well understood in such machines. The means to operate the measure includes a gearing I14 and H5 from the top of shaft 80, to a shaft I'I6 having an operative association with a slide I'I8 on the top plate 50, the slide having the measure mounted thereon, so as to reciprocate the measure in proper time relation with the movement of the bag opener.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, means to present an open ended bag in an erect position, a creasing blade arranged to lie adjacent such bag, a member relatively movable toward and away from the blade normally spaced therefrom to receive the presented bag therebetween, closely spaced revoluble rolls carried by said member into mutual pinching relation to a bag interposed between the blade and rolls, and operating means therefor.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which a backing plate is located below the blade to support one side of a presented bag, and yielding means carried by said movable member positioned to engage a bag opposite the backing plate and flatten the bag.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which a backing plate is located below said blade to support one side of a presented bag, and a spring-supported bag-shaping plate carried by said movable member arranged to engage over the upper portion of a bag in opposition to said backing plate, and being constructed and adapted for pivotal movement to accommodate itself to the bag and content converging upward toward said backing plate.

4. A creaser for the purpose described, consisting of a blade member, a roll carrying member relatively movable toward and away from the blade, means to present an article to be creased between the two, said blade having a rectilinear edge, the roll carrying member having parallel close rolls, constructed and arranged to move the carrying member and rolls substantially hori- Zontally from a position at one side of the blade to a position with the rolls on opposite sides of the blade in close fitting relation to the blade, whereby an initially interposed article will have a portion pressed laterally over the blade by said horizontal movement, and then pinched between the rolls when in said close fitting relation to the blade.

5. A creaser comprising a blade, having a rectilinear edge, a roll unit relatively movable to ward and away from the blade and having close parallel rolls parallel to the blade edge, the relative movement of the rolls and blade including paths in which the blade will initially engage one of said rolls with the other clear of the blade, said unit being rotatable on an axis eccentric to at least one roll and means to hold the roll unit yieldingly in an initial position on said axis to receive said blade against said one.

6. A creaser comprising a stationary blade, having an upwardly presented substantially rectilinear edge and an anvil face extending downward therefrom, a roll mount movable substantially horizontally toward and away from the blade, a twin roll bearing having close parallel rolls parallel to the blade one above the blade, said bearing being revoluble on said mount on an axis eccentric to the axis of at least one roll, means to move said roll mounting toward and beyond the said edge of the blade and return, whereby on inward movement of said mounting the lower roll will be checked against the said blade, and the upper roll will pass over the said edge and downwardly by rotation of said twin roll bearing under impedance of the lower roll by the blade, and means to move the upper roll to initial position on divergent movement of the mount and blade.

7. In a machine of the class described capable of filling and advancing an erect bag edgewise and intermittently in a given path and wherein opposed relative moving bagworking members coengage the bag at one station in the intermission of its movement, a spring loaded presser plate mounted on one of the said members, positioned and constructed so as to initially engage against the lower part of the bag at said station under relative movement of the said bagworking members, and to yield to the material in such bag principally at the lower part of the plate, whereby the contents of the bag will be compressed and shaped and the upper part of the plate will swing inwardly against the upper part of the bag and shape it further.

8. The structure of claim 7 in which means is included constructed and adapted to reciprocate the member carrying the presser plate to and from a predetermined bag pressing positions repeatedly durin the intermission of movement of the bag, for the purposes described.

9. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor consisting of a support for the bottom of a bag, an elevated rest for the upper part of the bag, means to move the conveyor step-bystep, a closer station beside the path of the conveyor, a closer mounted to move toward and away from a bag at the station, means to operate the closer, a spring loaded presser plate pivoted on the closer constructed and positioned to engage flat against a bag at the station on inward movement of the closer and to yield at its lower part to the bag and content pivotally, whereby the upper part of the plate may hold the upper parts of the bag together and its lower part press inward against the lower part of the bag to flatten the content.

10. The structure of claim 9 in which a cam and wiper thereon connected to the closer are included in said means to oper e h los said cam having a plurality of undulations in its closer moving parts.

11. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor consisting of a support for the bottom of a bag, means to move the conveyor stepby-step, a station beside the path of the conveyor comprising a support for the upper part of a bag and including a blade, a creaser device movable toward and away from the blade, constructed and arranged to coact with the blade to crease interposed bag portions and the like, means to operate the creaser, a spring-loaded presser plate pivoted on the creaser device constructed and positioned to engage a bag through intermediate and final inward movement of the creaser only, and to yield to the bag and content.

12. The structure of claim 11 in which a cam and wiper thereon connected to the creaser are included in said means to operate the creaser, said cam having a plurality of undulations in its advanced operative part of a height to operate the creaser through initial and intermediate movements short of creasing operation, and a terminal higher part to operate the creaser to final creasing operation.

AUSTIN S. CHANDLER. 

